'Zootopia 2' Dominates with Historic $556M Global Bow as 'Wicked: For Good' Strengthens Holiday Slate
Holiday movie traffic delivered major momentum for the global box office as Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good powered a strong Thanksgiving corridor for theaters and studios.
Zootopia 2 breaks global box office records with a $556M debut as Wicked: For Good posts a strong holiday run in a busy Thanksgiving weekend.
Disney’s Zootopia 2 secured a standout five-day North American debut of $156 million and reached $400 million overseas, resulting in a record-setting $556 million global opening. The animated sequel now holds the title for the biggest worldwide start ever for an animated film and the fourth-largest global launch for any film.
Disney
Disney entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman said the performance highlights the film’s worldwide appeal and the work of the studio’s filmmakers and cast, marking a significant moment for Disney Animation as the holiday season begins.
Wicked: For Good followed with an estimated $93 million over the five-day Thanksgiving frame, lifting its 10-day domestic total to $270.4 million as it moves toward the $400 million global benchmark. The new chapter in the Oz saga has become one of the season’s biggest earners.
China played a major role in the success of Zootopia 2, where it posted the top animated opening of all time with $272 million, marking the biggest Hollywood debut in the market since May 2021. The strong turnout positions the sequel as a likely billion-dollar performer, echoing the trajectory of the first film.
Several additional global records were reached, including the highest sequel opening since 2021, the biggest global debut of 2025 so far, and the largest animated sequel opening in Disney history. Domestically, the film now ranks as the second-biggest Thanksgiving opening behind Moana 2.
The sequel reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they navigate a new assignment under Chief Bogo. Their latest case involves tracking a new character voiced by Ke Huy Quan, contributing to the film’s strong audience reception and high exit scores.
Wicked: For Good crossed the $200 million domestic mark on Thanksgiving Day after its November 21 release. The film, led by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, marked a major milestone with its global opening and outperformed the first installment of the franchise based on the hit Broadway musical.
Overseas performance added $29.4 million during the holiday weekend for a total of $122.8 million international and $393.3 million globally, according to Sunday estimates.
Industry analysts noted that overall Thanksgiving revenue was lower than last year’s record-setting frame, yet the 2025 holiday period still delivered solid results. Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian reported that the domestic box office remains slightly ahead of 2024 by 1.3%, with an additional $1.2 billion needed by January 31 to reach the $9 billion annual target.
Netflix’s limited theatrical release of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery also entered select cinemas. Box office estimates put its earnings near $2.3 million, though official numbers were not released. Major theater chains did not book the film due to windowing disputes.
At the specialty box office, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet launched with $1.4 million from 119 theaters across 28 markets, averaging $11,345 over five days. The film, featuring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, accumulated strong momentum following wins at international festivals and is set for a wider expansion next weekend.
Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t finished the weekend in third place domestically and has reached $49.7 million in North America and $187 million worldwide.
